How to spot and avoid task scams

You get an unexpected message on WhatsApp, Telegram, text, or social media. The person says you can make quick money online doing tasks. It sounds simple, and the message says you’ll get paid right away. But this could be a scam. Read on to find out how to spot and avoid them.

Task scams — or gamified job scams — begin with an unexpected message offering you “work” doing things like “optimization” or “product boosting” online. You complete the tasks through an app or online platform and — supposedly — earn money through a “commission” with each click you make. But spoiler alert: there aren’t any commissions and only the scammers make money.

As you complete each task, you’ll see what looks like more and more supposed earnings in the app. They’re fake, but the scammers want you to think those earnings are real. So they might pay you a little — usually $5 to $20 — to try to gain your trust.

Then the scammer turns the tables. To unlock and complete your next set of tasks, and to be able to get your “earnings” out of the app, the scammer tells you to deposit your own money, usually in crypto. But even making that deposit won’t let you get those (fake) earnings — and your real money will be gone.

To avoid task scams:

• Ignore generic and unexpected texts, WhatsApp, or Telegram messages about jobs. Real employers will never contact you that way.
• Never pay anyone to get paid, or to get a job. That’s a sure sign of a scam.
• Don’t trust anyone who says they’ll pay you to give a positive rating or like things online. No honest company will do that.

Learn more about spotting and avoiding scams at ftc.gov/scams. And report scams you see to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.